NBA West playoff picture: Lakers now need help to climb out of play-in; Nuggets lock up No. 1 seed

Below is a comprehensive snapshot of where things stand in the Western Conference playoff and play-in races entering play on Thursday. This post will be updated throughout the remainder of the regular season or until all seeds are clinched. 

Reminder on how the play-in tournament works: No. 7 plays No. 8 and No. 9 plays No. 10. The winner of the 7-8 Game gets the No. 7 seed, while the loser plays the winner of the 9-10 Game for the  No. 8 seed. 

READ: Eastern Conference playoff picture

NOTE: Our SportsLine model, developed by predictive data engineer Stephen Oh, simulates the entire season 10,000 times to produce the most unbiased and precise projections imaginable.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Denver Nuggets (52-27)

  • đź”’Locked into No. 1 seed
  • Remaining schedule: at Suns, at Jazz, vs. Kings 
  • Current first-round matchup: TBD

2. Memphis Grizzlies (50-30)

  • đź”’Clinched top-three seed
  • Remaining schedule: at Bucks, at Thunder
  • Current first-round matchup: vs. Lakers-Pelicans play-in winner
  • Tiebreaker vs. Sacramento: Kings currently own via conference record

3. Sacramento Kings (48-32)

  • đź”’Clinched top-three seed
  • Remaining schedule: vs. Warriors, at Nuggets
  • Current first-round matchup: vs. Warriors
  • Tiebreaker vs. Memphis: Kings currently own via conference win percentage 

4. Phoenix Suns (44-35)

  • đź”’Clinched playoff spot
  • Remaining schedule: vs. Nuggets, at Lakers, at Clippers
  • Current first-round matchup: vs. Warriors
  • Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play

5. Los Angeles Clippers (42-38)

  • đź”’Clinched play-in spot
  • Remaining schedule: vs. Blazers, at Suns
  • Current first-round matchup: at Kings
  • Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
  • Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Clippers lead via division win percentage
  • Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves clinched 
  • Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Clippers clinched

6. Golden State Warriors (42-38)

  • đź”’Clinched play-in spot
  • Remaining schedule: at Kings, at Blazers
  • Current first-round matchup: at Kings
  • Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves currently lead via conference win percentage
  • Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers lead via division win percentage
  • Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Warriors lead via conference win percentage

PLAY-IN TOURNAMENT

7. Los Angeles Lakers (41-39)

  • đź”’Clinched play-in spot
  • Remaining schedule: vs. Suns, vs. Jazz
  • Current first-round matchup: vs. Pelicans (play-in)
  • Tiebreaker vs. Phoenix: Suns lead 2-1 with one to play
  • Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Clippers clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Lakers clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Wolves clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Lakers clinched

8. New Orleans Pelicans (41-39)

  • đź”’Clinched play-in spot
  • Remaining schedule: vs. Knicks, at Timberwolves
  • Current first-round matchup: at Lakers (play-in)
  • Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Warriors lead via conference win percentage
  • Tiebreaker vs. Minnesota: Tied 1-1 with one to play
  • Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Pelicans currently own via division record
  • Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Lakers clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Pelicans clinched

9. Minnesota Timberwolves (40-40)

  • đź”’Clinched play-in spot
  • Remaining schedule: at Spurs, vs. Pelicans
  • Current first-round matchup: vs. Thunder (play-in)
  • Tiebreaker vs. Golden State: Wolves currently lead via conference win percentage
  • Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Wolves clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Tied 1-1 with one to play
  • Tiebreaker vs. Lakers: Wolves clinched

10. Oklahoma City Thunder (38-42)

  • Remaining schedule: at Jazz, vs. Grizzlies
  • Current first-round matchup: at Timberwolves (play-in)
  • Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Thunder clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to play
  • Tiebreaker vs. Clippers: Thunder clinched

STILL ALIVE

11. Dallas Mavericks (38-42)

  • Remaining schedule: vs. Bulls, vs. Spurs
  • Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Thunder clinched
  • Tiebreaker vs. New Orleans: Pelicans currently own via division record
  • Tiebreaker vs. Utah: Mavericks clinched

12. Utah Jazz (36-43)

  • Remaining schedule: vs. Thunder, vs. Nuggets, at Lakers
  • Tiebreaker vs. Oklahoma City: Thunder lead 2-1 with one to play
  • Tiebreaker vs. Dallas: Mavericks clinched

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